Parabolic antennas have been in use for many decades where they have been employed for uses other than home television reception from communication satellites. In uses for other than home television, a variety of forms of covers have been developed for parabolic antennas, mostly for protection against adverse weather conditions. Such covers have typically been made of rigid plastic material with a spherical or parabolic shape completely enclosing the face of the parabolic antenna including the feed structure located near the focus of the parabola. Examples of such antennas are disclosed in the patent to J. S. Hart, dated Nov. 7, 1967, U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,947, (U.S. Cl. 343--840) and the patent to Grenzeback, dated Jun. 19, 1973, U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,755, (U.S. Cl. 343/840).
Rigid covers have also been employed where the antenna feed structure extends through an opening in the center of the cover as illustrated in the patent to Schudel, dated Feb. 14, 1989, U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,972 (U.S. Cl. 343/840).
Also, covers have been known for parabolic antennas which were formed of a relatively flexible tarpaulin-like sheet preferably of rubberized material such as "Hypalon". This structure included a pressurizing or pressure equalizing arrangement to prevent wind induced vibrations and damaging of the "radar member or cover" as shown in the patent to W. F. Weir, dated Jun. 11, 1968, U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,401 (U.S. Cl. 343--872).
Generally such prior parabolic antenna covers are intended only to provide protection against weather rather than providing for decoration of or concealment of the antenna dish, but the patent to Schudel briefly mentions a possibility of forming the disclosed rigid, convex cover with optically transparent or translucent material with advertising or other information thereon.
None of these parabolic antenna covers or other known antenna covers are appropriate to provide an easily emplaceable and easily removable flexible, decorative cover for typical home television antenna dishes in the manner of the present invention.
In addition to providing the advantages and features described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cover of flexible sheet material for a satellite communication antenna which has a provision for accommodating a projecting central antenna feed in the form of a central opening and which comprises an enclosed, peripheral cord so that when the cover is placed on a satellite antenna dish with the edges of the cover overlapping the edges of the dish and the cord is drawn tight and secured, the cover is thereby firmly attached over the face of the antenna dish.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cover for a satellite antenna dish of flexible fabric material having a decorative design formed thereon and including means for securing the generally circular cover at its edges to the edge of the antenna dish so that the dish from its face side is concealed by the decorative cover.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a decorative cover for a satellite antenna dish formed of moderately stretchable polyester fabric with a peripheral hem through which is threaded a cord having its two ends extended through an opening in the hem and connected to a manually operated tightening and locking mechanism for drawing and maintaining the cord taut to capture the edges of a satellite dish and secure the cover thereon.